


His treasure

by Shtrigga



Category: The Almighty Johnsons
Genre: Established Relationship, F/M, Insecurity, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Post Season 3, Post-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-26
Updated: 2016-05-26
Packaged: 2018-07-10 06:31:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,402
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6970021
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shtrigga/pseuds/Shtrigga
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Anders cannot believe he's in love. And that someone loves him back.</p>
            </blockquote>





	His treasure

Today he was later than usual. The degree of “late” that was inappropriate even for him. At first he didn’t want to go to work at all but then it struck him that in the evening they’ll see each other nevertheless. There was nothing else to do. He stopped in front of his office and touched the door-handle with a nervous look on his face. As soon as he walks in, she’ll know something isn’t right. There. That’s what he was afraid of. She read his face like an open book. And if she knows… well, she’s gonna ask. And what is he gonna say to her?

He mustered up his courage and opened the door trying to put a careless grin on his face. 

“Good morning, Dawn!”

At the sight of her boss Dawn stood up, a smile blossoming on her lips. _Waits for a kiss. And he nearly walked past her out of force of habit. What an idiot._ Anders still couldn’t get use to their new greeting ritual. Or to the fact that someone welcomes him with a smile and softly kisses him, running the fingers through his blond hair. Not someone. His girlfriend. Dawn was his girlfriend. How hard it was to wrap his head around this thought. This new reality. In the end she had chosen him. Not Ty – wonderful, kind and hardworking Ty but him – womanizer, wisecracker, foul-mouthed egoist. Why had this woman with a heart of gold chosen him?

“Hey, Anders,” she murmured playfully.

Oh god… How come he deserved _her_? Dawn was always a treasure for him, being guarded from all those other guys. Intelligent, tactful, I-ll-be-there-for-you kind of girl. She was literally the reason why j:pr was still functioning. She didn’t criticize Anders unlike his own family… At least not aloud and not to his face. She was always a treasure for him, but he couldn’t imagine that one day she is going to be _his treasure_.

“Do we have any meetings today?”

“Oddly enough, we do, and you didn’t actually miss any yet,” she looked through her notes. “Yep, a representative of that wine company we discussed yesterday will be here at twelve and…” she turned over a page, “…our favorite dog food people – at 13:50.”

 _Our…_ She probably meant that they’ve been working together. But Dawn’s never used this word in such a context before. “Our” meant his and hers. Their small union. A couple. _Fuck, you’re thinking too much about it! Stop!_

“Good! It’s gonna be a very productive day then,” he smirked avoiding eye contact. Because his face was not more natural than a mask.

“Anders, are you okay?” Dawn asked with suspicion.

She had seen that dejected look so many times - whenever it was a fight with his brothers or a failed search for Frigg – that he couldn’t hide it from her. Except back in the day she wasn’t able to ask in the open. Now, as a privilege of the status “his girlfriend”, she could and she did.

“It’s nothing… Just, uh… family issues.” 

He wasn’t that stupid to try and hide it from her. Sooner or later someone has to tell. And it better be him. It’s just… it made his knees weak when he pictured what he could’ve read in her eyes.

“Is it Mike again?” Dawn asked compassionately. “I thought you guys had sorted things out.” 

“No, Mike’s fine.” Anders mumbled quietly. “We’re fine.”

After that night at the casino they were actually hitting it off quite well. It came as a surprise that Mike didn’t even blame him having found out about him and Dawn being together. No looks of reproach. Nothing. It was in itself pretty much unbelievable. His older brother just nodded understandingly: “If there is a person in the world who can make a man out of you, it’s Dawn.

_And what the hell does that suppose to mean? He is a man. Not a monster for sure..._

Oh, but Mike knew something, didn’t he?.. He maybe a jackass but not a brainless one. He had probably put two and two together a long time ago. Even though Anders couldn’t see how. He had never shown any affection for Dawn, hadn’t even visited her at hospital after that Hodr-incident.

“Then what, Anders?” she quirked her eyebrow at him. “You look like someone died… Oh gosh, no one died, I hope?!”

“Only in my dreams,” this time his smile was a bit sincere but slowly drowned in fear.

It hadn’t even occurred to him he had a thing for Dawn. He hadn’t known until that one time… Until Colin Gunderson. _Whatever did say to him? “We don’t screw the crew”? “She’s like a sister to me”? What an awesome excuse!_ And he had really believed it. That he’d loved her like a sister. Well, she would certainly be a better relative for him than his own three brothers. 

But when this wanker dared to threaten him… Later that day Anders had realized he would’ve never forgiven himself if Dawn had slept with Colin. 

“So, what’s the big secret then?”

He couldn’t help but sigh. Judging from Dawn’s narrowing eyes, she realized it was serious. Or worse, she might’ve guessed what the problem was. Since he’s got not so many brothers.

“You won’t like it, Dawn…”

“What happened?”

“You better not know…”

“Anders,” she hissed. “I am waiting!”

He hasn’t talked with Ty for a long-long time. Since him and Dawn had broken up. Poor Ty… Only with his luck a girl could’ve dumped Ty for someone… like him – a sarcastic selfish coward. Anders won’t ever be able to fully believe in it. Guys of his sort don’t deserve girls like Dawn. He will always be afraid that someday she’ll leave. Because… he isn’t worthy. This isn’t his fairy-tale.

“Well, Ty… is seeing someone…” 

“Oh…” she exhaled. There was a moment of silence. “You know her?”

“It’s, uh… Michele.” 

Dawn faltered, her eyes wide open, unspoken words stuck in her throat.

This. This is what he was afraid of. She’ll inevitably compare him with his brother. Dawn and Ty were two of a kind. They were destined to live together in a nice cozy house with a smell of home-made muffins and children’s laughter filling the air. Anders, on the other hand, was shallow and fickle, unlikely to settle down. 

“Michele? Seriously?” she sounded like she suspected him of deception. 

“Uh-huh.”

“How is it even…? I mean… Michele! And Ty! How did these two even…?”

“Don’t know. Olaf told me.”

The mere fact that Ty got himself involved into something like that could give her a cause for doubt. There’s hardly something serious between them. But serious enough to make Dawn jealous. Just you wait, she will wonder whether it is not too late to turn it around. And Ty will forgive. He’s kind. 

“Well… I’m happy for him. Michele’s quite an… interesting woman. Hope it’ll work out for them,” Dawn nodded to herself and returned to the computer.

Anders thrust his hands deep into his pockets, remaining where he was. He HAD to say something. 

“I think Ty is just seeking consolation. Bet they haven’t even had shagged yet. If I know something of Ty, on their first date he most probably was listening to Michele’s whole life story and her relatives’ names.” 

Dawn frowned.

“Why are you saying this?”

“So you wouldn’t be mad at him if…”

“If what, Anders?” she demanded.

“If you decided to come back.”

Anders bit his lip and stared directly into her eyes. Dawn blinked with this perplexed expression and then her lips twitched a bit. Maybe she was glad he brought that up?

Dawn stood up again, hesitated a moment, and then stepped forward, for what purpose he didn’t understand. 

“Look, Anders… Ty is… he is amazing. Wonderful. Perfect, in fact.

“I see,” he lowered his head miserably.

“He’s a great cook, an athlete. Sweet, considerate and loyal.” 

“Exactly,” Anders was ready to hear the verdict.

“And why on earth would I leave such a guy… if I didn’t love you, you silly?”

She smiled softly and stroked his cheek.

His heart skipped a beat. All of a sudden Anders didn’t want to argue no more, didn’t want to give Dawn to anyone. _Anyone._ Just like the good old times.

Only now she was no longer his assistant. 

She was his treasure.


End file.
